Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 281)

The world’s internet traffic flows beneath the oceans—here’s how
Engineering

The world’s internet traffic flows beneath the oceans—here’s how

Hundreds of subsea cables connect the globe's far-flung spots, and a new one is planned between the US, Bermuda, and Portugal.

A lineup of the best pet vacuums on a white background
Home

The best vacuums for pet hair

Everyone loves their furry friends — but not everyone loves the fur covering every surface in the house, and that’s where a vacuum for pet hair come in.

Green architecture homes
Engineering

The EPA wants to tighten up their ‘zero-emission’ building definition

Although not legally enforceable, the EPA's new definition could appeal to developers looking to simplify sustainable projects.

Best bookshelf speakers sliced header
Smart Home

The best bookshelf speakers

Find the sweet spot between size, price, sound, and features with the shelf-friendly speakers that fill your room with sound, not clutter.

A volcano spews lava and ash. In roughly 250 million years, massive tectonic activity could push together all of our current landmasses into a supercontinent like Pangea and make the climate inhospitable to humans and other mammals.
Biology

A boiling hot supercontinent could kill all mammals in 250 million years

The history and future of mass extinctions.

Best DJ headphones composited
Headphones

The best DJ headphones

If your job is moving the crowd, these are the headphones you can trust moving from gig to gig.

Solar sail concept art from NASA
Mars

How tiny spacecraft could ‘sail’ to Mars surprisingly quickly

A new study demonstrates just how promising solar sails could be for exploring our neighboring planets.

A row of organic orange carrots with their green stems still attached on a table.
Nutrition

How carrots get their trademark orange color

A surprisingly low number of recessive genes give the tasty root its signature hue.

A hyenea shows its jaws. Giant hyenas went extinct about 500,000 years ago, but were roughly 240 pounds and skilled scavengers like their modern counterparts.
Evolution

How many ancient humans does it take to fight off a giant hyena?

During the Pleistocene, competition was tough even for scraps.

Best heart rate monitors composite feature image
Fitness Gear

The best heart rate monitors

We’ve got out finger on the pulse of the best heart rate monitors to help you exercise more efficiently.

close-up of face with rainbow-colored clouds of scent reaching for nose
Science

Is there such a thing as a smell illusion?

In a world of optical and auditory illusions, there are few olfactory ones. Or are there any at all?

Person talking to a therapist, probably talking about overcoming their fears of therapy.
Life Skills

5 common concerns about therapy and how to overcome them

Clear your head to get the most of the work and relief ahead.

The Seattle skyline.
Physics

Two fault lines near Seattle could rupture in one giant earthquake

Tree ring samples reveal a pair of quakes, or one large one, in Seattle’s geologic history.

To protect wild bumblebees, people have to find them first
Bees

To protect wild bumblebees, people have to find them first

For six years, hundreds of volunteers have counted bumblebees across the Northwest. Their data is shaping pollinator conservation nationwide.

The best cheap wireless mice
PC Gaming

The best cheap wireless mice

Mice are nice, but cost money, honey. Find the best value propositions while keeping yourself wire-free with these handy accessories.

four of the best wireless headphones for TV sliced together against a white background
Televisions

The best wireless headphones for TV

Take it all in without taking up all your space with noise or toys with these wireless headphones for TV.

Rendering of Firefly Space's Blue Ghost lunar lander on moon surface
Technology

Why astronomers want to put a telescope on the dark side of the moon

LuSEE-Night is designed to provide never-before-seen glimpses of one of the universe's least understood eras.

CERN scientists in hard hats putting antihydrogen in a vacuum chamber tube to test the effects of gravity on antimatter
Particle Physics

Does antimatter fall down or up? We now have a definitive answer.

Gravity wins—this time around.

A lineup of the best condenser mics on a white background
Audio

The best condenser mics

When selecting a condenser mic, versatility versus vocal sound comes into play.

Four of the best fitness watches sliced together against a white background
Smartwatches

The best fitness watches

These impressive fitness watches will allow you to better track your workout metrics, heart rate, sleep cycles and more.